


Sibling Rivalry

by dannihowell (iguessicantry)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, M/M, Twins, new kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-07-30
Packaged: 2018-07-28 07:02:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7630006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iguessicantry/pseuds/dannihowell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Howell twins both fancy their new neighbor, Phil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sibling Rivalry

“Who’s that?” Dan said gesturing to a boy walking across the courtyard.

“Who?” Olivia replied.

“That guy, the cute one.”

“I saw him first!” Olivia told her brother.

Dan rolled his eyes and replied, “Doesn’t matter because he definitely likes boys.”

“How can you be so sure?” she asked, picking up the sandwich that their mother had packed her that morning.

“I just know,” Dan said as he eyed the boy in question. They were sitting with a few friends in their school’s courtyard. Across the way, there was a boy with black hair and very light colored eyes eating on his own.

Olivia made a noise of disgust before exclaiming, “This sandwich is shit.”

“That’s because it’s mine, you idiot! You took my lunch this morning.”

“Alright, give me mine then.”

Dan handed her the bag marked ‘Olivia’ without shifting his gaze from the boy across the way. “Does anyone know who he is? He has to be new, right?”

“Yeah,” Amy, a girl sitting next to Dan, said. “He was in my biology class this morning. His name is Philip.”

“Dan fancies him,” Jared laughed. Dan shot him a look before returning to his lunch. “It’s Olivia who fancies him.”

“He is really cute,” she agreed. “But Dan just said that he’s probably into boys.”

“Maybe we should invite him over to sit with us?” Jared suggested, poking fun at Dan’s blushing.

Olivia immediately chewed through piece she had just bitten off. “I’ll do it!”

Before Dan could protest, his sister had stood up and walked over Philip. He watched her wave and smile at the boy and he watched as she pointed back at the table. Philip smiled at Olivia and gathered up his things.

As they approached the table, Dan tried his hardest to remain calm and not totally screw this up by being awkward. But this was Dan so, of course, he did something embarrassing the moment Phil sat down across from him. Dan reached across the table to shake his hand and knocked over the full bottle of strawberry juice which splashed all over Phil’s trousers.

“Oh—I’m so sorry. I’m a clumsy oaf. I-I… Oh my god…”

“It’s okay,” Phil laughed. “Really. it’s okay.”

“I’m so so sorry.”

The rest of the table couldn’t contain their laughter because that was literally what Dan was known for and better the new kid learn that fact early.

“My n-name is Dan by the way,” Dan stuttered. “Dan, the clumsy.”

Phil laughed as he patted down his trousers with a napkin to soak up the juice. “I’m Phil. Just Phil.”

—-

After school Dan and Olivia started their walk home. They heard, “Hey, wait for me!”

It was Phil, trousers now dry. He eventually caught up to them, still trying to catch his breath.

“You live this way, Phil?” Dan asked.

“Yeah. My mum dropped me off this morning because it was my first day but I’ll be walking from now on.”

“Good!” Olivia smiled. “Then I won’t have to put up with my brother’s stupid stories on my own.”

“Hey!” Dan exclaimed, turning red.

“Do you always fight like this?” Phil asked chuckling.

“Mum says she could feel us kicking each other before we were born,” Olivia informed him. “We’ve been fighting for more than 15 years now.”

“So you’re twins? Cool.”

“Yeah, it’s cool,” Dan said. “Except we have to share everything. Thank god we’re a boy and girl pair or Mum would have dressed us in identical outfits all our lives.”

“She says it’s her only regret,” Olivia added with a giggle, flipping her long brunette hair over her shoulder.

“That and having you for daughter,” Dan mumbled just loud enough for Phil to hear.

“What?” Olivia asked.

“What?” Dan replied feigning innocence, prompting her to glare back at him.

Phil just laughed at them both.

It was a short walk back to their homes and it turned out that Phil had moved into the house just behind theirs so they shared a fence with him.

“I would invite you over but everything is still a mess,” Phil explained, opening the gate to his garden.

“That’s fine. You can come over to ours later if you want,” Olivia suggested, twirling one of her many tendrils of curly hair and smiling brightly.

Dan rolled his eyes at her but nodded anyway. “Yeah, man. Come over if you want a little break from the mess.”

Phil smiled. “Thanks. Let me just put my books down, change out of this uniform and I’ll be right back.”

As soon as Phil was out of earshot, Olivia said, “I think he fancies me.”

Dan snorted. “How is it that your gaydar is so off?”

Olivia shoved him playfully and ran into their house to get away. Dan looked back at the neighboring house before, he too, went inside.

Their father, Harry, was in the living room practicing a piece on the piano when he heard his children come in.

“How was school?” he asked, taking a respite from his playing.

“Really good,” Olivia answered, toeing off her shoes. “There’s a new kid and I think he likes me.”

“Dad, she’s mental. He’s obviously not into girls.”

Harry chuckled at the two of them. “So do you like him, Dan?”

“He’s alright. I’m not boy crazy like Liv.”

“I think you both need to play hard to get… very hard to get.”

Dan and Olivia shared a look then broke into laughter.

“I mean it. I’m not ready for this yet. You’re still too young.”

“We’re fifteen!”

“Fifteen years too young to date!”

_“Dad…”_

 

—

 

“Hey Phil, come on in,” Liv smiled standing aside.

“Thanks,” Phil nodded taking his shoes off in the front hall and looking around.

“So, what do you want to do?” Oliva questioned, looking at Phil through her eyelashes in an obvious attempt at flirting.

“If you want, we can watch TV or something,” Dan chimed in nervously. “I mean, if you want. You probably have one at home but it’s better with friends, you know? We can do something else too.”

“TV is cool,” Phil agreed to stop Dan’s babbling, following him into the lounge.

Dan turned his head and quickly stuck his tongue out at his sister then showed Phil the room. He plopped down on the couch patting the empty spot next to him which Phil gratefully took. Oliva joined not much later, smelling like she just put on perfume.

“You stink. Get away from me,” Dan playfully shoved making Olivia squeal.

“Do not! You stink worse Mr. ‘I can’t shower every night because I’m too lazy to straighten my hair every morning!’” she shot back.

“I do not straighten my hair! It’s like this naturally!” Dan blushed, giving his sister a wide eyed stare.

“Uh huh. Sure,” Olivia teased, rolling her eyes.

Dan turned to Phil ready to apologize for his sister’s “lie” when he noticed Phil staring off not even watching the screen. Was he annoyed with their bickering? Or was he just bored? Maybe he only came over to be polite but wants to leave now that he’s seen how Dan and Liv act at home.

“Y-you okay?” Dan asked, already fearing the worst.

“Yeah, fine. You guys have a really great collection of video games though,” Phil replied. “It beats mine and my brother’s by a long shot.”

“Perk of being a twin I suppose,” Olivia shrugged. “We share a birthday so we get tons of stuff.”

“Not tons of stuff. She’s exaggerating,” Dan defended. “We’re not spoiled or anything.”

“Hey Dan, go get us something to drink,” Olivia suddenly ordered.

“No way. You get up off your bum and get them,” Dan pouted.

“Go do it. I’m older.”

“Yeah, by three minutes!”

“Three and a half!”

“Whatever! You’re so bossy, of course I let you out first. I needed some peace and quiet!”

“Aww, is baby Dan getting cranky?” Liv teased making Dan’s cheeks flush.

“No! You’re just being annoying,” Dan mumbled getting up. “I’m getting me and Phil something to drink, but you’re on your own.”

Phil covered his mouth trying to stifle his giggles. The way they argue like they know what the other is going to say next is just too funny. It’s like they rehearsed it–or they just have the same battles all the time.

Dan poured out three glasses of juice anyway and came back to the living room with the tray. When he came back, he saw Phil sat on the sofa with controller in hand and Olivia much too close for comfort. It would have annoyed him except Phil smiled at him and Phil’s eyes followed him as he set the tray down with the drinks.

“Thanks, Dan.”

“Yeah, thanks baby brother,” Olivia mocked.

“Sod off, Liv!”

“I’m telling Dad!”

Dan glared at her. “Tell him.”

“Dad!” Olivia shouted.

Their father walked in from the kitchen and removed his glasses, staring them down. “What?” he asked plainly.

“Dan told me to sod off. Tell him to be nicer to me,” Olivia said. “Especially in front of our guest.”

“What? Dad, she’s bossy and I have to tell her off sometimes.”

“Daniel…”Harry raised his eyebrow then promptly went into cabinets by the door. He pulled out a large photo album and opened it.

As he set the album on the coffee table, Harry said, “Welcome,” to Phil.

Dan and Olivia sat there in silence, mouths agape. Their father had a habit of bringing out old baby photos when they fought in front of their friends so that they would know how awkward their friend was feeling. Thanks to their dad’s parenting style, Phil was now looking at a photograph of two chubby cheeked, stark naked toddlers covered in nothing but suds.

“Olivia be nice to Daniel. Daniel be nice to Olivia. I have more photos and I’m sure you wouldn’t want your new friend to see them… At least not until you’re certain he can be trusted.”

“Okay, Dad. God, you didn’t have to pull out the big guns.” Dan complained.

Harry walked away leaving his kids to deal with their embarrassment.

“You both look adorable!” Phil laughed. “How cute!” He laughed and Dan noticed how his tongue stuck out in the cutest way.

Dan blushed a bit harder appreciating that Phil wasn’t poking fun at him like their usual friends do. They live for their dad’s “bring out the baby book” punishment because they usually laugh and don’t let either of them forget it for a few weeks. But Phil just smiled adorably and said they were cute.

After a few rounds of xbox games, Harry came back and asked Phil if he wanted to stay for dinner. Their mum had just come in with a few boxes of take out so they had plenty.

“I should probably get going though. Mum wanted me home for dinner, then there’s homework and unpacking…”

“Totally understandable,” Liv said squeezing Phil in a hug. “Come back over any time you want to. I’ll walk you to the door.”

“Wait! Um, do you want me to walk you home?” Dan asked, internally punching himself for saying it outloud.

“He lives just over the fence, Dan,” Olivia mocked.

“Y-yeah, but I just thought…nevermind, I just forgot you live so close, that’s all,” Dan mumbled running upstairs.

“It’s okay,” Phil assured no one but looked at Liv. “Can you tell him he doesn’t have to be so nervous? I’ll see you guys around.”

“Yup! See you around.”

Olivia closed the door and peeked out the window watching Phil unlock the gate just to walk over to the other side and disappear into his house.

“He’s so cute! He likes me, I know it!” she called up to Dan.

“No, he doesn’t! No one likes you!” Dan joked.

—

Dan rolled over in bed slamming his hand down on the alarm. It was too early for any normal human to be up–why do they make school start before the sun is fully up?

He shuffled out of bed and dragged himself to the bathroom noticing the door was closed. Olivia had beaten him in this morning which wasn’t an issue. There was another bathroom, but it only had a toilet and sink so he wouldn’t be able to shower or straighten his horrifically curly hair. He decided he’d eat breakfast and hopefully by the time he’s done, the bathroom would be free.

After he’d finished his cereal, Dan made his way back up the stairs to find the bathroom door still locked.

“Liv?” he said, knocking on the door. “You alright?”

“Yeah, Dan. Can you give me privacy please?” she said annoyed.

“I need to take a shower before school.”

“Give me a few minutes Dan!”

Dan looked at the clock on the wall and saw that he had only twenty minutes until they had to leave for school. That would only give him five minutes at most to fix his hair and everything.

Olivia emerged from the bathroom, face painted with make-up and hair straightened within an inch of its life.

“You look like a clown.”

“You look very cute Dan,” she said cheerfully. “With your hair like that, Phil might mistake you for hobbit.”

“Slag.”

“Chav.”

The insults fell from their mouths easily because they both knew the other hadn’t meant it. Dan rushed into the bathroom and showered. When he was done, his hair was back to its naturally curly state which made him sulk.

“Time to go!” their mother, Karyn, shouted from the kitchen. Dan, with his hair still wet, sighed as he marched down the stairs after Olivia.

“You both look lovely,” Karyn smiled as she handed them their lunches. “Oh, Dan–,”

“Mum…” he whined. “Liv hogged the bathroom all morning and I couldn’t get myself ready in time.”

“But you look so cute. It’ll be fine. Have a good day you two.”

 

Just as they walked out the door, they saw Phil walking up the pavement so Liv waved to him while Dan tried to make himself smaller, not feeling particularly confident with himself that morning.

“Morning, Phil!” Olivia called with a cheery smile, her dimples sunken in. She knew she looked amazing and if she wanted to Phil, she could have him.

“Good morning,” Phil replied, joining them for the walk to school. Phil turned to Dan and said, “Hey, are you doing something different with you hair?”

“Uh– Yeah… I know I look like geek right now but Liv–”

“I like it. It suits you.”

“Thanks,” Dan smiled, trying his best to stop the blood from rushing across his face. “I usually don’t look like this though, I swear. It’s just my post-shower hair.”

“Aww, but Dan, I thought you said your hair was naturally straight,” Liv teased, ruffling his hair.

“Shut up,” Dan laughed, playfully shoving her.

 

Morning classes were for the most part uneventful. Dan and Liv partnered up for their in-class Literature project as they usually do and groaned when they had to convince their PE substitute teacher that just because they are twins, that doesn’t mean they necessarily look alike. On the way to lunch, they mumbled to each other talking about nothing until they parted ways to sit in their usual spots at the lunch table.

“Hey Phil,” Liv smiled as he sat down. “How were morning classes?”

“They were alright. Does anyone else have Literature with Mrs. Blair? I didn’t quite get the homework but I was afraid to ask. She’s kind of scary.”

“Yeah, I can help you with it,” Dan offered, leaning over to look at Phil’s book.

“Let’s not worry about homework now. We can have a homework study session at our’s later and figure things out,” Olivia interrupted rolling her eyes. “Talk about yourself, Phil. We only know that you live over the fence.”

Phil smiled and looked down in his lap thinking about what made him stand out. He decided to start with his family, talking about his parents and his older brother Callum who only ever goes by Cal. Olivia leaned forward just a bit more anytime Phil talked about him or shared a funny story about something he did. Dan, on the other hand, hung onto every word that fell past Phil’s lips. He didn’t notice that the lunch bell rang until everyone was getting up and leaving him. He snatched his books off the table and ran to catch up, tripping over his own feet sending his books into the air. Dan fell to the ground, the palms of his hands taking most of the damage as he heard his books slam to the floor and slide a few inches hitting the side of someone’s foot.

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry,” Dan mumbled, not looking up as he crawled towards the pile. “I didn’t even see where I was going and just fell.”

“It’s okay,” Phil smiled handing over a book. “And I thought I told Liv to tell you to stop being so nervous! It’s okay, Dan. I’m not going to bite you.”

“Right. I know you wouldn’t. But she never told me that,” Dan replied taking Phil’s hand to help him stand up. “D-did you say anything else about me? I mean, something she might not have told me?”

“No, I think that was it. Come on, we don’t want to be late for Chemistry.”

 

—

 

A week later, Dan stood nervously outside of Phil’s front door. Why couldn’t Liv do this? She used the homework excuse but she and Dan both know it’s so that she has time to pick out an outfit for dinner this weekend. Dan sighed and raised his closed hand to knock on the door three times. The door flew open seconds after knocking with a giggling Phil on the other side.

“I was wondering how long you were going to stand there before actually knocking.”

“You were waiting?”

“I was doing my homework in the kitchen and I saw you walk out of your house and come over here, so I was gonna answer it, but you took forever to knock.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Dan blushed. “I–well, I mean my parents, they’re all traditional with these kinds of things. And they wanted me to come over here to see if you guys wanted to come but it’s totally fine if you’re busy or don’t want to or whatever because–”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Phil asked leaning against the door frame while Dan stood nervously twisting his fingers in his hands.

“Dinner. With me. My family. Us. Wait, let me start over,” Dan sighed, looking up at Phil.

A smile played on his lips but he did his best not to laugh, not wanting Dan to think he’s laughing at him. He’s just so nervous and Phil found it quite amusing. They’d been hanging out all week and it already seemed like they’ve been friends their whole life, but whenever he and Dan are alone, Dan just turns into a little ball of nervous energy.

“My family wants you and your family to come over to our house and have dinner with us since you guys are finished moving in. They–I mean, we want to welcome you to the neighborhood,” Dan finished. “But it was my mum’s idea and she’s just a traditionalist so if it’s weird or you guys are busy it’s okay–”

“No, we’d love to come. We’ve been having take out every night since we’d work through regular dinner time so a regular mean would be nice. Let me just ask my mum. Come on in,” Phil smiled stepping aside.

“We’re still unpacking the kitchen stuff so it’ll be really great to have a home-cooked meal,” Phil continued. Dan followed him into the enclosed porch at the back of the house.

“Mum, this is Dan. Dan, this is my mum, Julia.”

“Hi,” Dan waved nervously.

“Oh, hello!” she said, getting up from the settee. Dan shook her hand when she offered. “You’re quite the gentleman, aren’t you,” she laughed. “What brings you here?”

“Yeah–uh… My parents would like to invite you all over for supper on Saturday. It’s sort of a welcome to the neighborhood thing. We live just behind you.”

“That’s very nice of them. Nicer than our old neighbors huh, Phil?” she joked. “We’d love to, Dan.”

 

The next Saturday, Dan made sure to get in the bathroom before his sister just so he could have a shower. He decided to leave his hair curly because he figured everyone liked it and he really didn’t look all that bad (but mostly because Phil had noticed and said it suited him). Of course, Olivia had mocked him so Dan called her a few bad names and their routine went on as normal.

Just as the time approached for the Lesters to arrive, Harry grabbed a stack of photos that he’d prepared just for this occasion.

“Just in case,” he warned them, telling them to behave for the night. The twins both rolled their eyes.

“Please don’t show any of them,” Olivia begged him. “It’s like you took them when we were babies just so you could blackmail us now.”

Harry sputtered, “I-I took them so that we could have mementos of you two growing up. It’s just plain luck that you were always embarrassing yourselves and your mother and I can reap the benefits.”

 

Ding! Dong!

 

Dan’s heart flew into his throat. He and Olivia both rushed over to the door, where she shoved him out of the way to open it.

“Liv! Jesus Christ,” Dan exclaimed. “Break my collarbone next time.”

They heard faint giggles from the other side of the door and stopped their fighting to open it.

“Hi, come in!” she said, feigning innocence. The Lesters smiled politely and said their greetings as Olivia ushered them in.

“You alright, Dan?” Phil asked, seeing the way Dan was rubbing his shoulder.

Dan looked up like deer in the headlights and nodded. “Yeah–Yeah, I’m alright. Liv just tried to kill me.”

“I did not!” she protested.

“Yes, she did,” Dan mouthed to Phil, who giggled at the two of them.

“Dinner is served!”

 

Dinner goes well and the adults keep the conversation polite, bland and boring. But Dan and Liv both find their interests in the Lester boys. Callum, or Cal as he liked to be called, was a god. At least that’s what Liv thought. She seemed to have completely forgotten about Phil. Cal was sixteen, a little over a year older than the rest of them. He and Phil were practically identical except, Cal was taller, his shoulders were broader, and he was  athletic, making him a little more muscular than his younger brother.

Dan, on the other hand, only had eyes for Phil. Phil with his quiet confidence, charm and adorable mannerisms. Cal could have bright green wings and a third eye and Dan wouldn’t have noticed.

As dinner ended, Dan and Olivia started to clear away the dishes while everyone else went into the sitting room to have coffee and cake. Pretty soon, Dan found himself alone in the kitchen as Olivia ditched him to finish the cleaning. “Ugh, I’m gonna get her for this,” Dan muttered to himself.

“I suggest sneaking into her room while she’s asleep, pouring paint on her hand then tickling her nose with a feather or string. Let her wake up with face covered in blue paint. That should do it.”

“Phil? You’re evil?”

“I learn from the best,” Phil said informatively. “Cal is no stranger to annoying siblings.”

Dan shook his head. “I’m sure you’re not annoying.”

“You need any help in here?”  
“No, I’m done actually,” Dan said. “Let’s go hang out while our parents talk about mortgages or whatever they talk about.”

Dan led Phil into the sunroom where there were a few places to sit. The roof was made of glass so on a clear night, a person could see the stars from inside and stay warm.

Dan invited Phil to sit on the bench by the biggest window with him. “How do you like it here so far?” Dan asked him.

“It’s good. I was surprised to meet so many great people. Like, I was kind of afraid that I wouldn’t make any friends because I was the new kid, you know?”  
“Yeah but I mean, come on, Phil.”

“Come on?”

“Yeah. Like look at you and yeah…”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying…” Dan trailed off. “I’m saying that Liv thinks you’re cute and like… I agree.”

“Well, what would you say if I said I thought you were really cute.”

“I’d say Liv owes me ten quid.”

Phil laughed quietly and leaned into Dan, resting his head on his shoulder.

“What’d she owe you if I kissed you?”

“Kissed me? You want to kiss me?”

“Maybe. Do you want to kiss me?”

Dan blushed and tried to hide his smile.

“Maybe,” Dan whispered turning to look at Phil.

“Maybe we should then. Just so that we’re sure, you know?” Phil asked.

“Yeah, we should.”

Phil lifted his head off Dan’s shoulder and placed his hand over Dan’s. Dan felt his heart racing as he leaned in closing his eyes. Their lips connected and Dan titled his head into it, somehow knowing what to do. Phil deepened the kiss by caressing Dan’s cheek with his hand softly. They had broken apart just to reconnect again and again. Gasping for breath, Dan said, “That’s worth twenty pounds at least.”

Phil laughed and kissed him again, reveling in the start of something new.

Meanwhile, Olivia was also kissing another Lester not too far away. If she had known about Dan’s little tryst with Phil in the sunroom, she would have groaned something to the effect of “Do we have to do everything together?”

 

Oh well…

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr  
> [dannihowell](https://danni-howell.tumblr.com/)


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